Encountering Christ

KEY VERSE: “Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.” —John 4:42

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: John 4:7-15, 20-26

THE EARLY WORK that Jesus did was similar to that of John the Baptist. When Jesus began his ministry John had not yet been imprisoned, and was still baptizing near Salim in Jordan. Jesus attracted more disciples than John, and John’s disciples noted this and said, “Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.” (John 3:26) John’s testimony to them concerning Jesus left no doubt that he believed Jesus was indeed the Son of God, and the Messiah.—vss. 27-36

Jesus left Judea with his disciples and went to Galilee, passing through Samaria. They came to a city called Sychar—the location of Jacob’s well. Jesus, being weary, sat down by the well while his disciples went into the city to buy food. When a woman of Samaria came to draw water, Jesus asked her for a drink of water. She was surprised at this because Jews did not associate with Samaritans. An interesting conversation when Jesus said, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.” The woman questioned Jesus’ ability to provide water. Jesus answered, “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”—John 4:10,13,14

The woman wanted this water so that she would not have to go to the well for water any more. Jesus answered her, “Go call your husband and come back.” She said, “I have no husband.” To this Jesus said, “This is so. The fact is you have had five husbands and the man you now have is not your husband.” See verses 17 and 18.

The woman diverted the conversation from herself, realizing Jesus was a prophet, and talked about where God should be worshiped. The Samaritans say “in this mountain.” The Jews say in “Jerusalem.” (vss. 19,20) Jesus gave her a marvelous answer; he acknowledged first that God’s plan of salvation was to be found in the writings and sayings of the prophets of Israel. They pointed to a time when there would not be a specific place to worship, but all who would be true worshipers would worship the Father in spirit and in truth. “I know that Messiah [called Christ] is coming,” she said. “When he comes he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.”—John 4:25,26, New International Version

When the disciples returned, they interrupted the conversation. The woman left her jar and went into town to tell the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything ever I did. Could this be the Christ?” (John 4:29, NIV) In response, the people went out of the town and found Jesus.

Meanwhile, Jesus was urged by his disciples to eat the food they had brought. Jesus replied, “I have meat to eat that you know not of.” (vs. 32) When the disciples wondered how he had obtained food, Jesus told them plainly, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” (vs. 34) Using the illustration of the harvest, he said, in effect, that among the town people were true believers, like true wheat, ready to be harvested.—John 4:35-38

Formerly some had believed because of the woman’s testimony. But, they said to her: “Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.”—John 4:42

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